Strip club in Utica sees about same police traffic as other bars in the area, police say

ROME >> At Wednesday's gathering of strip club opponents at the Verona Fire Hall, Rome lawyer John Nasci encouraged people to research what problems are associated with Peepers, a similar business located in Utica.

Sgt. Steven Hauck says that between January 2012 and January 2013, the Utica Police Department responded to 14 incidents at the 104 Genesee St. establishment owned by Louis Diana.

The incidents ranged from disorderly groups to harassment and refusal to leave.

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But Hauck also noted that there are lots of other businesses that often require a similar frequency of police intervention.

"Bars are like that, too," he said. "If I picked any address on Varick Street, which is a busy bar section, they are going to have a lot of calls as well." He said those problems generally happen in the early morning hours.

"Time will tell," Hauck said. "It's like any business; if you get a good owner that's reputable, that really wants to have a stake in the town, then it will be OK. If things go bad, they will make changes to make sure it's right."

He added that if an adult entertainment businesses is not well-run it can bring crime into an area because of the mix of late hours and alcohol.

Oneida resident Kyle Endemann has a pending purchase offer on the now-vacant property located on state Route 365 and Greenway New London Road.

He wants to build a nightclub, according to his zoning application. The new bar and restaurant would be approximately 4,500 square feet with parking for 62 vehicles.

But he still needs a zoning variance for a bar and restaurant, which isn't a specifically allowed use in the F-1 agricultural zone, according to Daniel Carpenter, assistant building inspector.